Just to back up Crasher, we have spoken to Des from Shire of Shark bay, and he's very keen to have a annual windfest event, culminating in the 400 year anniversary of Dirk Hartog's discovery in 1616. He has events corp backing for the 2016 as a major event, and wants a build up to it. Now this is a chance for Windsurfing to put its hand up and make it big or we just slowly fade away. So ya's need to back this thing to the hilt. Have contaced WWA and passed on Des's no.

The whole town is behind this, they need tourism outside of their peak times, so are willing to make a big effort to get people here. But as I said we need to step up and back this thing as well. Out of all the places I've windsurfed all my life, i dont think anything beats shark bay. There is 2,000 km of Coastline here, with a million bays and inlets, the useless loop side is excellent for speed sailing, only problem is you need a boat.

Seeing as I'm crap at corners this sounds the ducks nuts, I'll try and organise my next WA trip around it, if it's after the L to L the airfares from my neck of the woods should be cheaper also

I to the frickin count me in.

25 said...

I would be in for sure
Can't say I ever did the 100 - I phased out about 95 when i became a father.
Did the Eagle Bluff to Denham a few times and that was about 20km as the crow flys. Did the Nanga to Denham one year late 80s or early 90s [drove up with Trevor Wright] - seem to recall either Dan or Colin won - that was about 45km as the crow flys - it was light the year we did it - kicked in towrds the end though.
What was the couse for the 100??
I would be happy to help with organisation as long as I could still sail!!

no need to rely on your sketchy memory danzig, this is from Vol7#3 of Sailboard extra. i guess from 1991 or 1992

duuuuuuude id be so keen for that. count me in please.

im in, balls deep

Wasn't it Nanga to Denham?

MattL said...

Wasn't it Nanga to Denham?

Yep, we did a qualifier from Eagle Bluff to Denham - the first 50 sailors I think made it through to the full race the next day. I scraped in at 45th. Nanga to Denham was the main race - we arrived at Nanga at 9am and they had scaffolding up for the start - which was on dry sand!! They had to wait for the tide to come in. Standing joke was that the race was going to be cancelled due to "lack of water"....

Tide came in and wind arrived so we headed off just after midday. First "leg" was from Nanga to Goulet Bluff (about 15km's from memory) and was quite shy so by the time you got there you were pretty cramped up. But then you got to wrap around the bluff in 3 foot deep, clear blue water, 20 knots and dead flat water - it was magic. The trip to Eagle Bluff sorted everyone out. You went from shallow flat water to deep, very choppy stuff. I can still remember 50% of the sailors in front of me nosediving and going around the front of their boards....carnage.

They had a spotter plane and a couple of rescue boats. The plane lost radio contact with the boats so this caused some issues for the guys that didn't finish.

Awesome event. I'd bring out the old Windtech for it.

From memory Anders won in about 1 hour 10 or 15, Col broke his board in half and came home in a boat, Graham Howard broke his boom let off both flares that no one saw, ended up strapping boom back together and getting home. Best race I have ever done.

Dave Pettigrew